Tuesday night offered a clear measuring stick for the Nashville Predators (19-19-4), and it wasn’t a forgiving one.
In a 6–2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers (21-16-4), Nashville was reminded how thin the margin is against teams built to contend deep into the postseason.
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Connor McDavid got the scoring going for the Oilers on the power play. Per NHLStats, McDavid extended his point streak to 16 games and matched the third-longest run in his career.
Postgame: Andrew Brunette | Nashville Predators
McDavid’s 15 goals during this stretch are his second most during a point streak, behind 16 during his 17-game run in 2022-23.
With the goal, McDavid recorded a point in 16 straight games against the Predators dating back to the 2018-19 season which is his second longest active streak behind the New Jersey Devils (17 GP since 2015-16).
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The only other players with an active streak of as many contests against a single opponent are Leon Draisaitl (19 GP vs. Chicago Blackhawks) and Jake Guentzel (16 GP vs. Columbus Blue Jackets).
Nashville was able to show moments of pushback, particularly as the game wore on, but sustaining momentum seemed like a challenge. Too often, promising possessions ended before the Predators could establish extended offensive-zone time. Edmonton responded quickly to any pressure, resetting the pace and preventing the game from swinging back within reach.
Losses like this can serve as valuable checkpoints.
For a Nashville team fighting to remain in the Western Conference playoff picture, the game highlighted areas that need tightening.
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“We have to be sharper all the way through for 60 minutes,” Nashville center Ryan O’Reilly said. “We’ve got to reset tomorrow and get ready for our next one, but we know in this room we can be a very good team and it’s sticking to our game plan.”
The Predators will move on quickly, but the lesson remains. Competing with the league’s top contenders requires near-flawless detail. On Tuesday, even brief lapses were enough to turn a challenging matchup into a decisive result.
Nashville returns to Bridgestone Arena on Thursday against the New York Islanders at 7 p.m. CST after wrapping up a seven game road trip, going 4-3-0.
